The Return of the Curse
by Kyoeichi
Summary: The Sohma curse has yet to be broken! The first of the new Zodiac generation to be found is the Cat. A girl with orange hair and red eyes. But her parents are disturbed by her sudden transformation when her father holds their child in their hospital room. What will her parents decide? Will they cast their first born child away or will they choose to accept her as she is. Find out!
1. Chapter 1

**This is a Fanfiction written by me based of Natsuki Takaya' Fruits Basket: I hold no rights to the Characters from Takaya-Sensei's book such as Tohru, Kyo, Shigure, Akito, etc…)**

Chapter one... The Curse Has Yet to be Fully Broken.

A short while ago people thought that the curse had been broken... but they were about to figure out that they... were wrong.

The cries of a child were the first to be heard. "She's beautiful," The mother held her child close while the father looked down on the two. The doctor left the room to talk to a nurse out in the hall. "Why don't you hold her?" She said handing the child to her husband.

Taking the child from the mother's hands a puff of smoke covered the room. After the smoke cleared the two noticed that their child has been replaced with an orange kitten. The two are bewildered by the sudden transformation. A few moments later, a different doctor came in to check on them and noticed the father on the ground weeping and the mother in shock, tears falling down her cheeks as well. He noticed the child was cast aside on the ground in front of the door. He picked up the infant and noticed a bleeding gash on the newborn's left cheek. He also knew exactly why the two first time parents were in despair.

Being a previous Zodiac member he took the orange creature to a separate room and placed it into a cradle, and then returned to the room with the two mortified parents. "We... didn't ask for- for that... THING..." The father said, cursing loudly.

"We didn't agree to this... I don't want a monster for a child..." The mother said as her crying got louder and she covered her face with her hands.

"Would you... like to forget- to forget ever having that child?" The doctor walked up to them. "I can take your pain away... You won't have to live with the burden of having a possessed child. You won't have any regrets in the future?"

"The only regret I have is that I gave birth to that monster..." The mother took her hands away from her face slightly.

"Okay." The doctor walked up to the mother, placing his hand over her face. "You won't remember any of this when you wake up." The woman fainted and fell back onto the pillow behind her. "What about you sir," He kneeled next to the man.

"Let me write her a letter." The man stood up and staggered to a table with paper and pens and started to write. "Dear child, I'm sorry but we could not handle having a child that was possessed like you... We wish you happiness even though your real parents aren't there for you... We hope you find your special someone. I'm so; so sorry my daughter, but I will have forgotten you after completing this letter. Please don't hate us; we love you, our first born." The man folded the paper and writes "read when age 15" and handed the piece of paper to the doctor. "Please have her read this when she's in high school."

"I will." The doctor placed his hand on the father's face.

"Goodbye... my daughter. I'm sorry..." He started to cry and then fell to the floor unconscious.

The doctor had some people take the two parents home and place them in bed then returned to the room where he had left their child finding a grotesque beast has taken her place.

He picked up the deformed creature up and ran out of the small hospital placing the child in the front passenger seat of his car and ran around to the driver's seat. Almost forgetting to put his seat belt on he started the car and drove.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two... The Decision...

The doctor parked his car, taking the creature into the building he stopped in front of. He slammed through each door he came across. "Akito! Akito..."

"What is it, Hatori?" The lady in the room asked.

"Akito, the curse hasn't been broken yet... Look" He brings the creature to where the woman could see.

Shocked, she leaves the room and came back with a bracelet that was colored red and white and placed it on the beast's wrist, returning it to the form of an orange cat and then took the animal from Hatori. "Summon Kyo and Tohru at once please."

"Alright." Hatori leaves the room to find the nearest phone.

...

...

...

...

...

A phone rings and is answered by a young lady. "Hello... Hatori?!... Oh yes, I'll get him... Kyo!"

A young man then came into the hallway. "Yeah? What's up?"

"Hatori would like to talk to you." She handed the phone to him.

"Hatori? What does he want?" He placed the phone to his ear. "Yeah, what's up? What? Are you sure? Okay, we'll be right there!"

He hung up the phone and took Tohru's hand. "We have to go to the Main House!" Kyo led her outside. Not having a car the two quickly walked to the Main House.

...

The two finally reach the Main Estate and open the gate, meeting Hatori on the other side. "This way," Hatori leads them to the Main House quickly then leads them to the room he and Akito were in earlier. "Akito; we're coming in." The door slide and the three walk in.

Tohru sees Akito in the room, "Akito!" She trots toward her and notices that she was holding something in her arms and slows down to a complete stop.

Everyone starts to hear the cries of a child. Thinking that the child is Akito's Tohru starts to congratulate her. "Congratulations Akito! You and Shigure had a baby!"

"No, this isn't my child..." Akito corrected Tohru. "Kyo, come here please."

Having a little information from his chat of the phone Kyo hesitates, but eventually listens to Akito. "Yeah, what do you want?" he looks down at the woman cradling the child.

"I want you to hold this child," Akito held the child out to him.

"O-okay?" He took the child from her and it was soon after covered in smoke.

"Kyo!" Scared, Tohru ran up to him and stopped when the smoke cleared.

Kyo being surprised by the smoke looked down at the child he was supposed to be holding only to find that it has been replaced with an orange kitten. "How, the curse should have been broken three years ago..."

Not being able to see in front of Kyo, Tohru moved closer, looking over his shoulders. "How-how can this be?" Tears start to fall from her eyes.

"Something tells me the blood of some of the Zodiac was not deluded enough, the curses that broke after the cat as well as the cat's curse." Akito took the animal back from Kyo. "I have a request. Will you take this child as your own? I know you've just had a child yourself but her parents had their memories erased. They could not handle having a child possessed by a spirit. Hatori found them before any of the other doctors there and erased their memories of the child."

"Here." Hatori hands Kyo the note that the father had given him. "Her father wrote this before I erased his memories. He wants her to read it when she's entered high school. That is if you take the child in."

"Kyo, I think we should." Tohru tugged on Kyo's shirt.

Kyo looks at her for a moment then nods, "Yeah, I think you're right." The two stood up straight and bowed.

"We'd be honored to take this child," They said in sequence.

The cat transformed back into a baby and Akito handed the child to Tohru. "Take good care of her." She gazed down at the sleeping child and smiled.

A door to the left slid open and a man with back hair walks in holding a one year old boy, "Oh, and Tohru," The man says, "Thank you for your congratulations. It means a lot."

Tohru turned to see the man and smiled, "Any time Shigure! May I ask what his name is?"

"Yuta," Shigure replied smiling down at his son.

"Well, we should get going," said Tohru as Kyo bowed again before he led Tohru out of the room, taking their new infant with them. "She looks just like a little Kyo!" She smiled up at Kyo.

Kyo smiled back, "I guess she does."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three... Growing Older by the Day...

Snow fell slowly, as four figures played in an open field, two of them moved around the other two just standing next to each other watching the other two closely. "Father, lookie, I made a snow man!" One of the two standing adults moved over to the child next to a big pile of mush.

Not sure what the child is standing next to, her father lies, "That's awesome Kyoichi!" He patted her on the head.

"Kyo, it's time to go home. Kyoichi and Kazuki could catch a cold if we let them stay outside too long," The other adult picked up a boy about the same age as the girl.

"Okay Tohru." Kyo looks down at Kyoichi, "Race ya!"

"Okay Daddy!" The girl started to run toward Tohru, Kyo not far behind. He dashes toward Tohru and stopped right in front of her, their noses only half a centimeter apart.

Tohru blushes and Kyo moves in for a kiss but is interrupted by the pulling on his arm and left ear, Kazuki pulling his ear, Kyoichi hanging from his elbow.

"Come on Father! Let's go home!" Kyoichi smiled up at him.

"Okay, okay. Let's go home." Kyo took the little girl's hand.

Tohru places Kazuki on the ground, taking his hand as well as Kyo's.

...

...

...

The four make it home right before sunset. Kyoichi got tired on the walk home so Tohru carried her back the rest of the way.

After putting the children to bed Tohru joined Kyo in the living room. Kyo was on the ground, leaning against a wall. "She's going to find out someday," Kyo said, not looking up to look Tohru in the eyes.

Tohru kneeled down, placing her hands on his. "And when she does we'll tell her the story."

"Mother, Father..." Kyoichi walked into the room rubbing her eyes, which were watering.

Tohru and Kyo turn to the doorway shocked. "Oh, Kyoichi," Tohru walked over to the still half-asleep child. "What are you doing up so late." She kneeled to be face to face with the child.

"I had a dream," The girl lowered her arm, tears still falling from her face.

Kyo hesitated but joined them and placed his hand on the child's shoulder. "What was it about?"

"I was in floating... in white. I was alone but then someone I'd never seen before showed up. I asked who he was but he just shook his head and said, "Don't be afraid." Then I woke up and I was crying." The girl's face dropped slightly. "I couldn't sleep after that. I would just lie in bed and cry." There was a short pause. "Mother, I felt like I'd known him for a long time."

Tohru started crying and hugged the small girl, "Kyo, we should tell her now, before she gets too old. She doesn't deserve to live like this."

Kyo nodded and Tohru moved aside, letting Kyo in front of the young girl, Kyo kneeled in front of her. "I'm sorry, Kyoichi."

"Why are you sorry Father? You didn't do anything."

Kyo is brought to tears from the clueless girl's words. "Sorry, but you're wrong." Kyo places his hands on Kyoichi's shoulders and pulls her in close hugging her.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four… The Truth…

A large amount of smoke covers the room and when the smoke cleared the little girl had no idea that she had transformed into a small orange cat. "Kyoichi, go to the pond and look into the water." Kyo points to the garden that had a small pond and some flowers scattered about.

Kyoichi pads over to the small pool of water looking down into it, seeing her reflection she falls back hoping it was just a dream, a high pitched scream being let out.

Tohru hearing the scream runs out and holds her crying daughter who was terrified by the sudden transformation. "Calm down Kyoichi, its ok, this is normal." Tohru carries the orange cat back inside the house and sits down leaning her back against the wall. "Let me tell you a couple of stories, "Tohru looks down at the cat in her lap. "Long ago, God decided to invite thirteen animals to a banquet, telling the animals to come to his house the following evening. He also warned them not to be late. When the rat heard this he decided to play a little trick on his neighbor, the cat. The rat told him that the banquet would be the day after tomorrow. The next day all the animals lined up for the party and the rat rode all the way there on the back of the cow. Everyone had a wonderful time, everyone except the cat who had been tricked."

At the end of the story Kyoichi had transformed back into a human girl and Kyo had brought a blanket in from the next room and wrapped it around the naked girl's shoulders.

"But that story is a little warped from the original. This is how the original goes." Tohru looks up to gather her thoughts, then back down at the young girl in her lap. "Once upon a time there was a person who lived all alone in the mountains. One day the person descended the mountains to find that many people lived below it. But the person was still alone. This person had a thousand powers, lives, and memories. The person learned that this was different than those who lived below the mountains, and thus developed a fear of other people.

"One day, the person was visited by a cat. The sudden visitor bewildered the person. The cat bowed his head and said he had been watching the person for quite a long time. "You are a mysterious person; I can not stop being attracted to you. I am but a stray cat, but let me stay by your side. Please Lord God," was what the had cat said. And from that day onward the cat kept his promise. He never left God's side, not even for a moment. This made God happy, this gave God an idea. He thought that maybe he could get along with others as long as they weren't people.

"As a result God wrote and sent many invitations. As a result twelve animals came to meet God; thirteen animals in all. Together, they held a banquet every time the moon would shine. They would sing and dance as the moon quietly watched over the inhuman banquet.

"But one night the cat collapsed. His life had run out. Everyone cried for the cat and realized everyone would die and the banquets would come to an end, no matter how much they enjoyed them.

"God recited a chant then drew a circle on a sake cup. God made the cat drink from the cup before speaking to everyone. He said that he was going to make their bond eternal. Everyone nodded and lined up to take a drink from the cup. The rat was the first to drink; followed by the ox, tiger, and rabbit, all in order they shared the drink of their vow.

"After the boar had drunk from the cup the cat started to cry, his breath faint. The cat asked God why he made him drink and then said that even though their time together was short, he was happy he was able to spend it with God. The cat didn't want eternity.

"The cat's words were unexpected; to everyone else, those words were words of rejection. They scolded the cat. But the cat continued to speak. He tried to reason with God, saying that even though things are frightening; they needed to except that things end. They needed to accept that lives depart. "Even if one more time, we both die and meet again. I want to see you under the light of the sun instead of the moon. I don't want to meet you with just those of us here; I want to see you smiling with other people." The cat twitched his tail one last time and died. But no one cared about him anymore. They were filled with the sense that the cat had betrayed them.

"Slowly, one by one, the others died. Finally, when even the dragon died, God was left alone once again. And then the day came when even God died, but God wasn't afraid, because he was protected by his promise with the others. "Once again, we'll hold our banquets, as many times as we want, forever."

Kyoichi starts nodding off, and Tohru smiles at her, "Kyoichi, you're the cat in these two stories. The Sohma family has had this curse for a long time, and you're not the only one, there are other Sohma members cursed like you. In time the curse will break. But we're not sure when."

Kyo looks over to find that Kyoichi had fallen asleep, "Good job calming her down Tohru."

Tohru stands up holding the sleeping child, "I'll go put her to bed." She climbs up the stairs and disappears behind a corner and Kyo stares out at the moon.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five… A Play Date!

Three Years Later

Tohru was cooking breakfast in the kitchen when the phone ran, "Would someone answer that please," She yelled to the hall not wanting to burn the food.

"I'll get it," a boy with short, light brown hair calls back to her as he walks into the hallway and answers the phone, "Hello, Sohma residence, Yuta? Yeah, one sec let me ask my mom." The boy set the receiver on the stand, which the phone stood upon and walked into the kitchen, "Mom it was Yuta, He wants to know if Kyoichi and I can come over after breakfast. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is Kazuki. Oh, and can you set the table? I'm almost done cooking."

"Alright," Kazuki got some dishes out and carried them to the dinning room table and set them out for four people. He then walked back to the doorway of the kitchen, "Table's set."

"Thank you!"

A seven-year-old girl with long orange hair came down the stairs in her pajamas, yawning. The girl noticed the phone wasn't hung up and called out, "Hey is someone on the phone?"

"Ah crap, thanks for reminding me Kyoichi!" Kazuki ran into the hallway and picked up the receiver, "Sorry I took so long Yuta; my mom said its okay so we'll be over there after breakfast, alright, later." He hung up the phone.

"Yuta, what did he want?" Kyoichi looks at her brother curiously.

"He wants us to come over after we eat."

"Really, Cool!" She walked off to the dinning room happily followed by her brother.

The two of them sat down at the table and waited patiently as their mother brought the food to the table, "Now all that's left is to call your father down," Tohru walked into the hallway and to the bottom of the stairs, "Kyo, breakfast is ready!"

A voice called from upstairs, "Okay, just let me get Rin!" Kyo turns the corner carrying a two-year-old girl with light brown hair and walks carefully down the stairs.

Tohru took the child from Kyo's arms as soon as he made it to the bottom, "Good morning Rin!" Tohru smiled at her daughter who wasn't paying any attention to her.

"Da-da…" The child waved her arm back and fourth at her father.

"Rin still likes her father more than her mother." Tohru smiles with a slight laugh.

"Are we gonna eat or what," called the two children from inside the dining room.

Tohru and Kyo joined their children at the table and they began to eat, "Itadakimasu! (Let's eat!)" Once everyone had finished eating Kyo headed off for work while Kyoichi and Kazuki headed for the Main Estate.

The two siblings make it to the gate of the Estate and ring the doorbell. A camera turned to look at them and the gate opened to let them inside.

"The Main House was that way right?" Kyoichi pointed to a path.

"No, it's this way." Kazuki took her hand and led her to Yuta's house. Kazuki rang the doorbell and Shigure was the one to answer it.

"My, my, well if it isn't Young Kazuki and Kyoichi." They could hear faint footsteps getting louder, "I heard the doorbell, are they hear?" A young boy with longish black hair slowed his run to a stop beside his father as he looked out the door to see his friends. "You made it, awesome!"

"Please, make yourselves at home," Shigure steps aside and gestured to have them come in.

"Pardon the intrusion," Kazuki said as he stepped inside and took his shoes off neatly.

Kyoichi's expression changed the second she saw Yuta, it was as if she were about to cry but she shook the expression off her face and smiled, "Thanks Shigure-Oji," Kyoichi stepped in and kicked her untied shoes off to reveal she wasn't wearing socks.

"This way, Come on," Yuta took Kyoichi's hand and started to lead them down the hall.

The house was big and the hallways were long so after a while of walking a door slid open as they walked by, "Oh, Yuta." The woman who was on the other side of the door kneels down to be eye level with the three children, "I didn't know you we're having Kyoichi and Kazuki over. Did your mother come with you? "She looked at Kazuki.

"No, she's taking care of Rin while Father's at the Dojo, "Kazuki replied.

"I see, and will you be joining your father there later?"

"Yep, today's a Saturday so we have afternoon practice."

"Well, play safely, alright?" She shut the door after she entered the hallway and walked off in the direction from which the kids came from.

The kids start to walk down the hall again and Yuta slid a door open that revealed the backyard. 0tI was pretty empty but had a tree that was easy to climb and a swing hanging off one of the branches.

Kyoichi set a messenger bag that she had brought with her on the wood floor before she jumped out onto the grass. "You guys coming?" She turned to look back at them. The boys looked at each other then jump out onto to grass

After a while of playing the boys fell asleep under the tree and Kyoichi was sitting on the rōka, and started to draw in a sketchbook that she had pulled out of her bag.

"What is that you're drawing Kyoichi, "Shigure asked leaning over her to look.

She jumped, "Wah! W-where did you come from?" She tries to cover her drawing with her body but it was too late, he had already seen it, "That wouldn't happen to be you crying in that picture would it?"

Kyoichi sighed, "It's because of Yuta… Whenever I see him I just feel like crying."

Shigure sat down beside her, "You know Kyoichi, it's normal to want to cry in front of him. It was the same with the previous members when they first met Akito."

"Really?"

"Yep, every one of us cried before her when we first met her. You're the first one to ever hold their tears inside. I think once you let it out you'll feel better."

Kyoichi looked over to Yuta's sleeping face and tears start to drip down her face. She turned and hugged Shigure, transforming into an orange cat. She continued to cry until she drifted off to sleep.

Akito came out with two blankets and placed one over Kyoichi and the other over Yuta and Kazuki, then walked back over and sat beside Shigure. She took the cat from Shigure so she could transform back into a human.

Shigure leaned back to look up at the clouds, "Do you think the curse will break for real this time around?" He glances at his wife.

Akito just smiles down at Kyoichi as she slept.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six… The Letter…

Eight Years Later

"What…is this?" Kyoichi looked at the paper in her hand as though it was blackmail. "What the hell is this, you mean to tell me my entire life is one big lie?" She turned and threw the piece of paper. She looked for an answer from her so called "parents" but when they said nothing she threw her fist into the wall behind her. Blood dripped from her arm and hand splattering on the floor.

Tohru flinched as she heard the wall crumble under the fist of the black-belt karate student.

Kyoichi ran out of the house not bothering to open the door she came across.

Tohru started to stand to her feet so she could chase after her, "Kyoichi wai-" She was stopped by the strong but gentle arm of Kyo who shook his head.

"Leave her alone for awhile. She needs time to herself."

Tohru nods and started to clean up the blood that fell on the floor.

It had started to rain and Kyoichi's hand was still bleeding as she ran around without thought, but after thirty minutes the rain had gotten the better of her and she collapsed under a tree and fell asleep.

Kyoichi woke to the sound of a car door opening and shutting, "Kyoichi?" there was the sound of feet splashing in the water as a boy with long black hair kneeled down beside her, "Kyoichi are you alright? Your hand is bleeding!"

"Yuta?" Kyoichi eyes were blurred do to the loss of blood but she could tell it was him from the sound of his voice.

Yuta took his black shirt off and ripped it up then wrapped it around her hand hoping to stop the bleeding, "Come on, we need to get you to a hospital!" He picked her up princess style and carried her to the black car he had come out of.

Shigure gets out of the front passenger seat, "My word what happened to her," He asks as he opened the back door.

"That doesn't matter right now Father, we need to get her to a hospital," Yuta bent his knees, "Mother I'm putting Kyoichi in the middle seat, she's soaked so you're going to get wet"

"That's fine," Akito gets ready to help as Yuta places Kyoichi into the car and then slid in beside her.

Shigure closed the back door then got back into the front passenger seat, "Driver, please take us to the nearest hospital."

"No! No hospitals…" Kyoichi yelled with what strength she had left.

"But Kyoichi," Shigure was trying to reason but Kyoichi wouldn't listen, "You are not taking me to a hospital!" Kyoichi reached her limit and transformed into an orange cat. Everything except for the black bandage Yuta had given her fell to the floor of the car.

"Well I guess you win, Driver takes us to the Main House." Shigure pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number, "Hello, Hatori…"

When Kyoichi awoke she was lying in a futon and her clothes had been changed, "Where am I, "She asked not recognizing the room she was in.

"You're in one of the guest rooms," A man with black hair that covered his left eye walks and a lab coat walks over, "I bandaged your arm better which was the main problem.'

"Hatori-Oji…" Kyoichi murmured his name.

"But it looks like your anemia hasn't totally worn off just yet, "Hatori offered his hand to her, "we have some food ready for you if you'd like it."

Kyoichi took his hand and he helped her walk to the dinning room. Yuta and his parents had already started to eat and Hatori helped her to an empty seat at the table before he walked off to do something.

"Go ahead and eat Kyoichi, "Akito tried to make her feel welcome at the table.

Kyoichi took four rolled omelets and poured milk into her cup to the brim then piled some rice into a small bowl. Kyoichi looked at a broiled fish and started to drool, but it was the last one and wasn't sure if anyone else wanted it.

Akito noticed and placed the fish on Kyoichi's plate, "It's alright Kyoichi; you can have it."

"Really? Thank you!" Kyoichi started her meal with the fish and started to feel much better.

After breakfast Yuta and Kyoichi went to the living room to watch some TV. Yuta was less concerned about the TV show and more concerned about Kyoichi, "Hey, what happed to your arm?"

"Punched a wall," Kyoichi didn't really want to go into detail about what had happened.

"Then why'd you run out into the rain with such an injury?"

Kyoichi didn't reply this time but she clenched her good fist.

Yuta looked a little hurt because he thought that she told him everything,  
"Why won't you tell me?"

"Just drop it okay?"

"But Kyoichi!"

"I said drop it," She yelled and slapped Yuta by accident as she stood up. Kyoichi gasped as soon as she realized what she had done.

Yuta's face was covered with shock but Kyoichi just walked out into the hallway to run into Shigure, "Oh, there you are Kyoichi I was looking for you. Your parents are here to take you home."

Kyoichi snapped, "Their not my parents!" She ran off down the hallway and disappeared behind a corner.

"My, I guess she read the letter…" Shigure scratched the back of his head before returning to where he had left Tohru and Kyo, "Well, it looks like she isn't interested in going home just yet."

Tohru and Kyo looked at each other and sighed together.

"Shigure, do you mind taking care of her for awhile? She thinks her entire life is a lie. And being with us right now would only make her more depressed," Kyo asked.

Shigure scratched the back of his head, "I don't think that would be a problem. But don't you think that she'll keep running away if we leave it alone?"

"I'm going to go talk to her before we leave," Kyo stands up and leaves the building.

Shigure and Tohru look at each other wondering how Kyo was going to talk to her from outside.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven… Summer at the Main House…

Kyo climbed up the house onto the roof to find Kyoichi sulking and he walks over to her, "Are you still going to come to the dojo?"

"I thought you would have realized that I didn't want to see you," She says staring off into the distance holding her knees to her chest.

"Well, I'll tell you this much," He sat down before continuing, "Even though we aren't you birth parents we still see you as our daughter. I've seen your real parents and You look more like me than either of them. Your life wasn't a lie."

"You can save your breath… It's not like I can or want to go back to them… I just want some time to myself for a while…"

"Shigure has already agreed to let you live here until high school starts. I mean we didn't really decide on a time period but I'd like to have you home by then, your brother and sister would start to worry if it was any longer than that." He glances over at her.

"I get it Dad," She said, her expression didn't change throughout the entire conversation.

Kyo smiled when she called him her father and he ruffled her hair with his hand, "Well I got to go. "He stood up and walked to the edge of the roof, "And don't forget to come by every now and then for a meal!" He climbed back down the roof and Kyoichi heard the door open and close twice as well as the footsteps of her parents fade into the distance.

Eventually, Kyoichi climbed back down and went back inside the house to find Yuta, "I'm sorry for slapping you… I didn't mean to."

Yuta looked up at her, "Its fine I don't care about that anymore," He smiled up at her.

The door slid open and Akito walked in, "There you are, I wanted to know if you two didn't mind hanging out with the twins and Haruko tomorrow?"

"That's fine," Yuta replied.

"I see no problem with that," Kyoichi answered.

"Very good, they'll come over after lunch tomorrow." Akito leaves the room.

The three came over as planned and a short boy with amber hair and eyes tackled Kyoichi to the ground as soon as he saw her, "Kyoichi! I didn't know you were going to be here!"

"Kohaku don't be rude get off of her!" A man with blonde hair said sternly.

"It's okay Momiji-Oji," Kyoichi sat up the small boy still clinging to her.

The grown man starts to cry, "Kyoichi, just call me Momiji… You make me sound old…"

He was throwing a fit but Kyoichi could tell it was mainly an act and sighed, "Okay Momiji…" A boy who looked just like Kohaku except for his hair and eye color being black, walked over and gripped Kyoichi's sleeve but didn't say anything. "Your sons are twins but sure are complete opposites of each other.

As soon as Kyoichi was able to get the two boys to get off of her she heard running footsteps and turned around to find a foot flying at her face. She dodged the attack and watched a twelve-year-old land on her feet and turn around, "What the heck Kyoichi! You weren't supposed to dodge that!"

"And you aren't supposed to attack those stronger than you," she looked at the girl who's hair was white on the top but had long black hair underneath. Kyoichi could tell the girl had been running for quite a while, "Gen, did your parents make you walk again?"

The girl looked away and crossed her arms, "So what it they did? I like to run."

Kyoichi walked up to the girl and ruffled her hair, "Stay strong," she said with a sad smile.

"Well I've got to head to work I'll pick the boys up afterward," Momiji waved and went back to his car. Yuta shut the door and the five of them walked to the living room and sat down around a table.

"So what are we going to do?" Kyoichi asked tapping her nails on the wooden table.

"How about Rich Man, Poor Man," Kohaku suggests, pulling out a deck of playing cards and his brother, Daichi nodded.

They ended up playing the entire day making dares for whoever lost each game and ended falling asleep before dinnertime. Momiji came to pick up the boys and had to carry them to the car and the offered to take Gen home but with Gen sleeping Momiji had to pick her up which transformed her into a black and white cow.

Akito placed a blanket over Kyoichi and Yuta not wanting to wake them up. The rest of the summer was pretty much the same.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight… A Normal Day of School…

School Time

Hey, aren't they the Sohma siblings? The two captains of the karate club?" A girl whispered to her friend as two students wearing boy's uniforms walked by. The shorter student with orange hair had rolled their sleeves up to their shoulders.

"Yeah, Vice Captain, Kazuki and Captain, Kyoichi. I mean its no wonder she was made captain, just look at all those injuries and scars she's got!" The first girl's friend replied to her question.

"But I thought Kyoichi was a boys' name."

"I herd that she looks just like her father, Kyo Sohma. And get this; he used to go to this very school."

"Anyway, why does she get to wear the boy's uniform? It's not fair to the rest of us girls."

Kyoichi's ears twitched and both she and her brother stopped in their tracks. The female student glanced back at the two girls, the scar on her left cheek stood out compared to the rest of her injuries while the male student turned all the way round, both of them glaring.

The two girls ran away from the two black belt students.

Kyoichi put both of her hands into her pockets and started to walk again, "Those stupid girls need to learn to keep their thoughts to themselves."

"Come on Sis, just calm down, they don't get it." Kazuki tried to calm his sister down.

"Tch." The two siblings continued to walk when all of a sudden a short kid with long black and white hair runs up from behind them and jump kicks at Kyoichi who had already seen the attack coming and blocked it with her left arm, "Nice try Gen. But no. She sent the kid spinning but the kid miraculously landed in a crouching position and kept their balance with their right hand.

The kid stood up their necklaces clanging together, "I'm never gonna beat you am I?"

"Not if you keep skipping club activities. You need to start attending or you're going to get kicked out." Kyoichi ruffled the kid's hair, "And maybe start dressing as a girl. You are one after all."

"But you don't either Kyoichi." Gen slapped Kyoichi's hand away.

"But at least I don't have a job as a host."

"Lay off, it's the only job I could get at thirteen."

Kazuki stepped in, "You need to come stay at our house Haruko. My mom and dad would welcome you. You don't have to pay to live in that tiny apartment."

"Don't call me that! My name is Gen! It's not Haruko! And I don't need your pity!" Gen kicked Kazuki in the shin then ran off.

Kyoichi started to run after Gen but stopped knowing that Gen just wanted to be alone. She turned around and frowned at her brother, "It's your fault you know."

"Yeah, that's why I didn't hit her back." Kazuki kneeled down to rub where he had been kicked.

"I'm going to head home okay, I'll see you there." Kyoichi left him there and went home after switching her shoes.

After a half hour walk, Kyoichi made it home to find her twin cousins, Kohaku and Daichi, "Oh great, it's bad enough that I have to see you at school but now I have to see you at home too?" She tossed her messenger bag into the corner to the room and joined her cousins under the kotatsu table.

Daichi, the twin with black hair and eyes didn't say anything while his brother Kohaku brushed his amber bangs to the side, "That's so mean! I thought you liked us."

Kyoichi placed her chin in her palm and sighed, "I'm tired of family… I only ever hang out with Sohmas…" Kyoichi stood up, "I'll be on the roof..." She opened the front door and bumped into Kazuki who was opening the door from the other side.

All of a sudden the room was covered with orange smoke. Once it cleared Kyoichi had been transformed into an orange cat, "Damn it Kazuki; watch where you're going!" The cat bit Kazuki's leg and ran out right as Tohru walked in having heard the commotion.

Tohru noticed the blood on Kazuki's leg, "Kazuki, you're bleeding! A first aid kit! That's right I'll go get a first aid kit! But wait, Kyoichi has transformed and ran off; I have to go find her before she transforms back!" She franticly ran around trying to figure out what to do when Kyo walked in. Kyo quickly grabbed a blanket and ran out to find Kyoichi leaving the others to calm Tohru down.

Kyo knew just where to find her, the roof. "Kyoichi you know it's not Kazuki's fault. You both should have been watching where you were going."

"Shut up Kyo… You're not my Father. _He_ didn't want to remember I existed. I hate him and that woman who gave birth to me…" The cat sulks.

"Hey guess what, my Father isn't my dad either. But it got to the point to where he really was a father to me. I was the cat before you. Just remember you're not the only one with this curse. Your cousins are just like you. They know how it feels to be rejected by others." Kyo tried to calm her down.

"But their parents didn't choose to forget their children! Mine no longer know I exist!"

"But their father knew the pain you did. His mother couldn't bare the burden of a possessed child. And so their grandmother doesn't know they exist." Kyoichi's ears twitched and she didn't say anything more.

The transformation didn't last too long and the roof was covered with the same smoke as before.

Kyo quickly wrapped the blanket around the cloth-less teenager, "Come on. Let's go back inside." Kyoichi stood up and walked to the side of the roof and placed her hand on the edge of the shingles. Swiftly, she jumped through a second floor window so she could get inside and get some clothes on as soon as possible.

Kyo got down the normal way and entered the house through the front entrance being met by his frantic wife who still looked worried. Kyo took her hands and smiled down at her, "Don't worry Tohru, she's up in her room putting some clothes on."

Tohru calmed down and then saw their ten-year-old daughter, Rin walk into the room, "Oh Rin, welcome home!"

The little girl looks up at her mother and father, "I'm home… She took her shoes off at the entrance then went upstairs, "I'll be in my room doing homework." She shut her door behind herself.

Kyoichi came back down stairs wearing some of Kyo's old clothes. They were quite baggy on her but that was the way she liked it. She walked over to Kazuki who was sitting under the kotatsu with the twins.

Kazuki looked up at Kyoichi who was scratching one leg with her other foot trying not to make eye contact, "I'm sorry alright… I shouldn't have gotten mad at you…"

Kazuki smiled and moved to the corner of the table, "I'm sorry too."

Kyoichi smiled and sat down beside her brother and everyone played cards together.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine… The Transfer Student…

"Sohma wake up!" A chalkboard eraser landed on Kyoichi's head and she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Is it lunch time yet?" She shook her head trying to wake herself up.

"No Sohma, it is not. We have a transfer student joining our class today," The teacher turns his head looking at the closed door, "You can come in now."

A boy with long black hair walks in a silver earring on the cartilage of his left ear. The moment Kyoichi got a good look at his face she stood up out of her chair in shock.

Everyone turned to look at her with confusion; Kyoichi's face too was confused, "Yuta?"

"The boy smiled and waved, "Hi Kyoichi, it's been awhile."

"But you were supposed to be studying abroad…"

"I guess you could say I got a little home sick." Yuta scratched the back of his head.

The teacher coughed regaining everyone's attention, "Now, if you two are done catching up would you kindly write your name on the board then sit down in the desk beside Sohma?"

Yuta nodded, "Yes sir." Yuta wrote his name on the chalk board then walked to the back of the classroom sitting in the empty seat beside Kyoichi who had already sat back down and smiled at her. She smiled back before lying her head down on the table doodling on her notebook. This time a piece of chalk was thrown at her, "If you don't feel like learning then go stand outside in the hallway!" The teacher pointed at the door and Kyoichi picked up her notebook and went out into the hallway.

The _end of school bell rang_ and Kyoichi was still standing outside in the hallway. Yuta came out of the classroom and turned to smile at her, "Can I come over to your place?"

"Sure, I don't think Tohru would mind," Kyoichi replied.

"Yuta?" Yuta turned to see who had called his name to find the twins, "It is Yuta," Kohaku ran up and gave his cousin a hug while Daichi slowly walked over.

"I guess that means you are coming over too huh?" Kyoichi asked rhetorically.

The brothers smiled at her and Kazuki walked out of a nearby classroom, "Yuta? I thought you were studying aboard."

"I was, until a few days ago," Yuta answered as Kazuki joined the group. The two boys gave each other a soul-brother handshake and release. Kazuki turns to Kyoichi, "You ready to go?"

"Go where?" Kyoichi didn't have a clue of what he was talking about.

Kazuki places the palm of his hand to his forehead, "What day is today Kyoichi?"

Kyoichi thought about it for a moment but struck blank.

"We have Karate practice at the Dojo today," Kazuki finally gave her the answer.

"Oh right!" Kyoichi turns to Yuta, "Sorry Yuta; maybe another time!" She waves as she walks past him and starts to run, Kazuki not too far behind her.

Kyoichi and Kazuki raced to the Dojo; hurdling and jumping everything in their path. Kazuki pulled ahead and got through the entrance first then got out of the way so Kyoichi wouldn't run into him but just as Kyoichi ran though the door she ran into Kyo who had heard the two of them come in. Kyo quickly deflected the girl and she fell backward, "Ow, ow, ow…" Kyoichi sat up and shook her head.

"Sorry about that Kyoichi," Kyo extended his hand to her and helped her up.

"Thanks…"

"Are the two of you ready," Kyo asked his students.

Kyoichi and Kazuki look at each other then look at Kyo and nod together.

"Good to hear. Go change then meet me in the practice room."

Kyoichi and Kazuki were putting their gloves on as Kyo coughs gaining their attention, "As the two of you already know your test today will determine which of you will be my successor and inherit this dojo. The test will consist of a one on one match against the two of you. You will continue to fight until I come to a conclusion. I warn you though; even if you win it does not mean you will inherit the dojo. Do you understand?" Kyo stood tall awaiting an answer.

"Yes sir," Kyoichi and Kazuki answered together.

"Then face your opponent, bow… and begin!"

Kazuki was the first to move, His leg flew up toward Kyoichi's shoulder but she ducked and elbowed her brother in the gut sending him backward. Kazuki regained his balance and went for an open-palm chest shot but it was deflected by one of Kyoichi's hands. Kyoichi came in for an attack and Kazuki made several swift turns then did a reverse turn with a kick. Kyoichi didn't have enough time to dodge so she braced herself and blocked with her arms. The kick pushed her back a few inches and she started to fall back. Instead of falling Kyoichi did several back flips then ran at Kazuki.

The match lasted for two hours without breaks but Kyo finally ended the match, "That's enough, take a seat." The two students sat down, breathing heavily. Kyo sat down in front of them and waited a moment before speaking, "Both of you have great skill but only one of you can become my heir. I did not have you fight for two hours straight just to see the two of you fight. It was a challenge for me to come to the decision." Kyo took a pause and turned to look his son in the eyes, "Kazuki, while you did your best I could tell you were holding back." Kazuki flinched at the words his father spoke, "And you were doing that because of who your opponent was. I cannot have my successor be soft hearted toward family; there is no place for softness in karate. This is why I am naming Kyoichi my heir."

The moment Kyoichi heard those words she jumped up into the air, "Yeah!"

Kazuki lowered his face so that his eyes couldn't be seen and stood up giving his father a bow before leaving the room. Kyoichi stopped rejoicing as she watched her brother leave. She quickly bowed to her teacher and ran to the changing room.

After Kyoichi changed she was more tired than she should have been and opened the front door to notice it was pouring outside. She sank to her knees, "Why does it have to rain? And I didn't even bring an umbrella…" She closed the door and sat in the corner waiting for Kyo to finish his other classes.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten… A Rude Awakening…

Kyoichi dosed off waiting for Kyo who woke her up, "Kyoichi, let's go."

Kyoichi's eyes open and she realized she was seen sleeping and blushes from embarrassment, "I-I wasn't sleeping! I was just resting my eyes!"

Kyo laughed lightly, "It's noting to be embarrassed about Kyoichi, All the cats before you got like this when it rains."

"Even you?"

"Yep," Kyo smiled as he helped her up, "Even me." Kyo went to a closet in the hall and came back with a large umbrella, "Ready to go home?"

The two walked all the way home in silence, "We're home," Kyo called out.

Tohru's head popped out from the kitchen with a smile, "Welcome home, I hope you're hungry because dinner will be ready in just a few minutes.

Kyoichi kicked her shoes off and started to walk up stairs, "I think I'll pass."

"But Kyoichi, I made salmon tonight."

Kyoichi's ears twitched at the words and she came back down and sat at the dinner table.

Rin came to the door to greet her father, "Welcome back…"

Kyo pat her head before picking up the small ten-year-old, "I'm home." He looked up at Kyoichi who was just sitting at the table bored, "Hey Kyoichi, did you do your homework?"

Kyoichi started to tap her fingers on the wooden table, "Yes sir."

"Okay," He looked a Rin, "Do you want to play a card game with your dad Rin?"

The little girl nodded and Kyo put her back down, "Go sit beside your sister while I get the cards okay?"

"Okay." The young girl walked over and sat on the cushion to the right of Kyoichi.

Kyo went up stairs and opened a hallway closet and took a deck of cards out. He shut the door and came back down the stairs. He sat down across from Kyoichi and started to shuffle the cards.

Just as Kyo started to deal the front door opened and you could tell it was still raining hard outside before it shut. Knowing it was Kazuki, Tohru popped her head out of the kitchen to welcome him back, "Welcome home Kazu—Kazuki you're drenched!" Tohru set her pan down and turned the burner down then ran to a closet grabbing a large towel out of it then ran back over to her son and draped it over his head, "Let's get you dry before you catch a cold," She smiled as she started to dry his hair.

"I can do it myself Mom," Kazuki yelled, shocking his mother.

Tohru lowered her hands, "Very well…"

Kazuki passed his mother and went up stairs. Everyone heard a door open and close. Tohru turned and walked back into the kitchen then started cooking again.

Kyo set the cards down and went into the kitchen, "Tohru, are you okay?"

Tohru jumped when she heard Kyo's voice and started to cook a little faster,  
I'm fine. Everything's alright."

Tohru's voice quivered and Kyo could tell that she was lying, "Tohru…"

Tohru turned the stove off and stood there in silence for a few moments before turning around and running into Kyo's arms, crying. Kyo held her close with an expression of disappointment.

Kyoichi had heard everything from the dining room, stood to her feet and walked up stairs, stopping in front of Kazuki's door.

Kazuki was sulking on the ground with his back against the door. Kyoichi kicked through the door causing Kazuki to land on his stomach. Kazuki cringed in pain, "What the hell Kyoichi?" He stood up and turned to face her but the second he did Kyoichi's fist made contact with his right cheek causing him to land on his stomach again.

"Stand up Kazuki," Kyoichi used a stern and strict voice but when he just laid there she yelled, "I said get up!" She walked over to him and picked him up by the collar of his shirt. Kazuki kept his chin down so that Kyoichi wouldn't see his eyes. "What's gotten into you Kazuki?" She yelled trying to look him in the eye.

When Kazuki said noting she threw him into the wall, "Are you that upset about not becoming your father's heir; so much so that you have to take it out on your own mother? If it means that much to you, you can have it!"

"Shut up!" Kazuki yelled using the wall as a crutch to help him stand, "You don't know how hard my life has been! I don't have any special abilities! You're naturally better than me because you have cat-like reflexes!"

Kyoichi's sudden silence spooked Kazuki, "Is that what you think," Kyoichi finally asked, her bangs covering her eyes and she made fists with her hands but then released them slowly and walked out of the beat up room. She walked across the hall and entered an already open door then slide it shut behind her. Kazuki stayed where he was for a while pouting but then plopped onto his bed burying his face in his pillow.

The next morning Tohru went to wake Kyoichi for school but when she slide the door open she found an empty room and Kyoichi nowhere to be found, "Kyo! Kyo, she's gone!"

Tohru ran to her room and woke Kyo up who had planned to sleep in. He sat up and yawned, "Who's gone?"

"Kyoichi, she's gone, I can't find her anywhere!"

The second he heard that, he got out of bed to see for himself.

Since Kyoichi wasn't inside Kyo decided to look outside but when he opens the front door he could barely see due to the hard rain that was pouring outside. So instead of leaving the house he called from the door, "Kyoichi!"

With no reply he shuts the door and walks over to the phone and dialed a number.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven… Goose Chase…

"Alright, thanks Shigure. Bye." Kyo hangs the phone up and shakes his head to Tohru, "She wasn't there either…"

Tohru's eyes start to water, "But where else would she have gone?"

"I don't know…" Kyo walks over to her, giving her a hug her hoping to calm her down.

Kazuki had been listening from the stairs and decides to leave out a side entrance so he wouldn't have to face his parents and heads to school.

The rain had finally stopped and Kyoichi was staring up at the sky as she sat on a park bench. She blew at her bangs and stood up then started to walk in a random direction, "Akihiko don't run off on your own!" A voice in the distance yelled.

A young boy turned the corner and ran into Kyoichi. The boy fell backward, "Oof!" Smoke covered the area but when the smoke had cleared, all the boy saw was an orange cat with a black and red bandana tied around its neck, "Kitty…"

Kyoichi sat up and shook her head, "Akihiko!" The voice from before got closer and Kyoichi knew they would be suspicious of her clothes lying on the ground and decided to try and run for it but the boy was quicker and picked her up.

"Akihiko," A woman with semi-long golden hair comes around the same corner the boy had, "Akihiko Sohma what do you think you're doing running around a corner like that! What if you ran into someone?"

Kyoichi's ears twitched at the boy's last name and he turned around to face the woman, "But Mom I found a kitty!" The boy held Kyoichi up to his mother. Kyoichi looked into the woman's eyes and something about them bothered her. "Can I keep it Mom?"

Kyoichi's ears twitched at the thought of becoming someone's pet and starts to struggle. "Sure you can Akihiko," The woman smiles at her son.

"Awesome!" The boy hugs Kyoichi and the two of them start to walk.

Kyo was on the phone again but he hung up shortly after and shook his head, "I've called all of the places she might have gone… but she hasn't been to any of them."

Tohru took his hands and smiled at him, "If anyone can find her, it's you Kyo." Kyo smiles at her then walks upstairs and into Kyoichi's room. He lies down on the wooden floor and thought for a long time but when nothing came to him he sat up and his eyes lock onto a single sheet of paper on Kyoichi's desk. Kyo got up to read it, "Kyo, I'm sure you'll be the one to discover this letter. I have decided to decline your offer to be the heir to the dojo and leave it to Kazuki. He wants it much more than I do. You might have realized by now that I haven't gone to any of my sulking hideouts. I want to let you know that I have no intensions of ever coming back to a Sohma residence ever again; thank you for everything, and goodbye."

Kyo grips the paper making it wrinkle and tears drip from his cheek onto his hand, "You fool…"

Kyoichi woke up having fallen asleep on Akihiko's lap and she yawns. When she sees her surroundings she remembers what had happened and bolts around trying to find some way out of her new found prison but there were no open windows. She was starting to get anxious. There was no way of telling how long it would take for her to transform back and didn't want to stick around to find out.

Akihiko's mother came out of a room down the hall, "Akihiko, let's go buy some food for dinner tonight!"

Akihiko closed a book he had been reading, "Okay!" He ran over to his mother and they left, leaving Kyoichi in the house all alone.

"Okay, so hopefully I'll transform back quick and then I can find some clothes and get the hell out of here." With less than a second's thought smoke covered the room and Kyoichi was back to normal. She started to look for the master bedroom hoping that there would be some clothes she could wear.

Kyoichi found a tan dress shirt and some black cargo pants that were way too big so she found a belt to keep them up. She got dressed and headed for the door but stopped when she saw something. It was a piece of paper with hand writing. Kyoichi's pupils thinned into sharp slivers and ran to the door, and left not bothering to shut it behind her.

"Thief!" Kyoichi's ears twitch and she turns to see a man in his fifties pointing at her, "Thief!" The man had a briefcase in one hand and was wearing a suit but that didn't keep him from running.

Kyoichi quickly turned and used her speed to lose the man but turned the corner to run into Akihiko's mother. Both Kyoichi and the woman fall to the ground. Kyoichi shook her head, "Ouch…" Finally realizing what she had done she jumps up and offers the woman a hand, "I'm so sorry ma'am. Can I help you up?"

The woman accepted Kyoichi's help, "Thank you."

Akihiko had watched the whole thing but was a little distracted by the black and red bandana around Kyoichi's wrist. The boy grabbed Kyoichi's hand, "Kitty!"

"Akihiko don't be rude to her," The woman turned to Kyoichi again; "You'll have to excuse his behavior. It's strange though… You remind me of a cat that we just pick up off the streets. And those look like my husband's clothes…"

Kyoichi started to get nervous, the woman was putting the pieces together, "Well I should probably get going."

"No! Onee-chan stay with Akihiko," The boy yelled gripping her hand tighter.

"Maybe you should come eat dinner with us. Akihiko sure has taken a liking to you."

"No, I really can't…" Kyoichi's eyes shifted back and forth between Akihiko and his mother.

"Miu get away from that girl," The man from earlier had caught up. Kyoichi's ears twitch and she froze. The man walked over and grabbed Kyoichi's shoulder, "I'm calling the cops on you, you little thief!"

Kyoichi just stood there; still as stone.

The man noticed Kyoichi's odd behavior, "got something you want to say?"

With a blink of the eye Kyoichi had the man's arm behind his back, "How dare you," Kyoichi yelled, "You don't have the right to punish me anymore!"

"That hurts, let me go!" The man yelled.

"You don't have the right to tell me what to do! You gave that right up almost sixteen years ago!

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"That's because you chose to forget! You forgot your oldest and only daughter!" Kyoichi let the man go and fell to her knees in tears, "And it's buried so deep not even the wound you inflicted on me jogs your memory!"

Akihiko walked over to Kyoichi and places a hand on her hand, "Does it hurt?"

"Yes…yes it does…" Kyoichi kisses Akihiko's forehead then runs away.

"My life is worthless," Kyoichi yells as she runs, "I don't want to live!"

Kyoichi ended up on the edge of a cliff and she looked down, "Kyoichi!" Hearing her name she turns to see who yelled it to find it was Kyo. Kyo started to walk towards her, "Kyoichi… come home."

"You come any closer and I'll jump!"

Kyo stopped, "You won't do it…" He took another step closer and Kyoichi took a step back but there was nothing to set her foot back down on and she started to fall, "Ah!"

"Kyoichi!" Kyo jumped sliding on his stomach to the edge of the cliff and grabbed her hand. "Kyoichi, don't let go!"

When Kyo didn't get a reply he looked down to find that she had passed out. "Oh no, Kyoichi, you have to wake up! Kyo started to lose his grip and he pulled his other hand out from beneath him and grabbed her wrist with both hands but he started to slide closer to the edge. Kyo got anxious, "Somebody help!" It was no use, they were in the middle of nowhere and nobody could help them. Kyo started to cry, "Somebody…" One of his tears dripped onto Kyoichi's face and he started to give up but something tugged at the end of his pants snapping him out of it. He looked back to find a tan cat tugging on his pant leg.

All of a sudden several more cats appeared and did the same. Within one minute Kyo had twenty cats pulling on his clothes and helped him pull Kyoichi up. Kyo quickly examined Kyoichi for any major injuries and found blood stains in her hair. Suddenly Kyo was having flashbacks of the past, "No… not again!"

Kyo quickly picked her up transforming her into her other form and ran to the nearest building he could find, "I need to make a call. It's an emergency!"

"Sir calm down."

"She's going to die! I need to use your phone!"

"Sir, it's just a cat…"

"Just let me use the damn phone!"

After that to employee put the phone in Kyo's reach, he grabbed the phone, dialing as fast as he could, "Hatori! I need you to get here as fast as you can! It's Kyoichi!"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve… It's too late to apologize…

Kyoichi's eyes open and the first thing she sees is the back of a white lab coat. She sits up and winces from a stabbing pain in her head. She lifts her hand up to her head where it hurt to find that she had been treated.

"Kyoichi, you're awake, I thought you would be out of it for a while longer." Hatori turned around and made her lay back down.

"Where am I," Kyoichi asked not having the energy to fight him.

"You're in your room at the Main House." Hatori turned and opened the door, "Kyo, she's awake." Hatori moved out of the way of the door and let Kyo in.

"Kyoichi," He kneeled down beside the bed.

"She has a mild concussion but she'll be alright. I suggest that you let her take a few days off of school and karate training. And it might be best if she spent those few days here. I don't think moving her is a good idea right now."

Kyo nodded, "That's fine."

Kyoichi turns her head to the door and everybody hears footsteps running down the hallway, "I heard that Kyoichi was here!" Yuta turned as he ran in and knelt down beside Kyo, taking Kyoichi's hand, "Kyoichi, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Yuta… Just let me get some sleep…" Kyoichi sighed and closed her eyes.

"Let's let her sleep," Hatori said gesturing to the door.

Both Yuta and Kyo got up and went into the hall. Hatori followed and closed the door behind them and they all went to where Shigure, Akito, and Tohru were waiting for them in the living room. Tohru immediately runs over to Kyo who takes her hands, "Kyoichi's going to be fine. Hatori said it's just a mild concussion," Kyo smiles at her hoping she'll calm down.

"Thank goodness, I so happy to hear she's alright," Tohru smiles back.

Kyo turns to where Shigure and Akito were still sitting, "Can I ask a favor of the two of you?"

"What is it Kyo?" Shigure replies.

"Can Kyoichi stay here with you for a while, she and Kazuki got into a fight which caused her to run away in the first place. I'm not even sure they're going to make up this time…"

"Well, she can stay here as long as she wants. But she and Kazuki have been tied to each other's ankles ever since they could remember. I think they just need some time apart. People who have been together as much as they have can't stay angry at each other forever I think. I mean just look at my son, he's only been away from her for a moment and all he's done is stare at her bedroom door."

Yuta had heard his father and blushed, "I- I have not," Yuta quickly storms off not wanting to be the center of his father's teasing.

Yuta had run to the back yard to find Kazuki was standing under the tree Kyoichi was always climbing, "What are you doing Kazuki?"

Kazuki turned to look at him, "My parents made me come. They thought that I'd apologize without being asked. But I can't see her yet… And I won't…"

Yuta walks over and places a hand on his cousin's shoulder, "Like my father said. The two of you just need some time apart."

"Yuta… do me a favor, and look after Kyoichi for me."

"You didn't have to ask. But Kazuki… you're in love with her aren't you? That's why you were so upset that she was better than you."

Kazuki clenched his hands together, "Don't tell her. Just don't."

"I won't."

Kyoichi had been listening to the entire conversation from inside the house but the second she heard Kazuki say that she ran off down the hallway.

The boys had heard the footsteps and Yuta went to the door to investigate but all he found was Rin walking toward him, "Hey Rin, are you lost?"

Rin looked up at her cousin and nodded, "Sissy…"

"Okay I'll take you to her." He took Rin's hand and led her to Kyoichi's room

Kyoichi had gone back to her room and laid face first on her bed.

Yuta knocked on the door and slide it open, "Kyoichi, Rin's here to see you."

Rin peeked around the door and then ran over to the bed, "Sissy!"

Kyoichi had turned around and thrown the covers over herself before the door had opened, "Rin."

"Are you okay Sissy," Rin asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just going to stay here for a little while."

Kyo poked his head in, "Hey Rin it's time to go home.

Rin turned to look at her father, "Papa!" She trotted over to him and he picked her up.

"Feel better Kyoichi, I'll come back to check on you in a few days."

Kyoichi didn't answer or even look up at Kyo so he shut the door behind him and she could hear three sets of footsteps telling her that Tohru and Kazuki were behind him.

Yuta turned back to Kyoichi after watching the others leave, "I'll bring you your dinner later, Get some sleep during that time okay?" He slid the door open and closed it behind him.

Kyoichi lied back down and fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen… Haircut…

Kyoichi finally started to go back to school after three days of rest and on her way to class she saw the teacher talking to Yuta.

"I already told you Sohma-san, get your hair cut or I'll have to suspend you," The teacher said sternly.

"But Sensei, schools in America didn't care about the length of a boy's hair…"

"Well you're in Japan now. I expect it cut by tomorrow, and take out that piercing while you're at it."

Kyoichi watched from a safe distance until the teacher left then went over to him, "What was that about?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing really," He walked into the classroom and sat down at his desk and started to fiddle with his long black hair. Kyoichi followed him sitting in her desk beside him and stared out the window on the other side of her.

By the time the bell rang Kyoichi was already asleep and the teacher slammed his book on his desk, "Heads up, class is beginning!"

Kyoichi's head jolts up off her desk from the noise and the teacher began his lesson.

Kyoichi was sitting out of P.E. today since Hatori told her to take it easy the first couple of days back at school so she decided to watch the boys play basketball. Even Gen was playing with the boys while the other girls played volleyball. She looked over at Yuta who wasn't playing as well as he normally did. "Yuta watch out," Kohaku yelled as the ball hurled toward him. But it was too late, by the time Yuta noticed, the ball had already smashed into his shoulder.

Yuta fell landing on the same shoulder, "Damn it," Yuta sat there for a few moments before trying to sit up.

Gen and the twins we the first to rush to his side and Kyoichi was there only seconds after, "You okay coz," Kohaku asked kneeling down beside him.

"Dang it, I think it's dislocated!"

The couch ran over and took a look at Yuta's arm, "It's just a light sprain. You should be alright after a few days." He turned to Kyoichi, "Sohma-san will you escort him to the infirmary and get him some ice?"

"Yes sir," She replied then helped Yuta get to his feet and left the gym.

Kyoichi opened the infirmary door and noticed that the school nurse wasn't there. She then let Yuta sit down on one of the beds and went over to the ice chest grabbing a small bag out of a box next to it. After she filled it with ice and wrapped a paper towel around it she walked back over to Yuta, "Here you go."

She held the bag up to her cousin who smiled at her as he took it from her hands. He thanked her then placed the ice pack on the most painful area of his shoulder. "You can go back to class now Kyoichi. I'll be fine."

"Why would I want to do that? I'd only end up sitting in the corner of the court again and watch the others have fun. After all Uncle Hatori has me side lined from all athletic events until my third day back," She sat down on the bed beside Yuta, "Besides it's much more fun to be around you!"

When Yuta didn't reply Kyoichi changed the subject, "What did that teacher tell you this morning?"

"I told you, it wasn't important."

"Don't lie to me," Yuta looked up and saw the seriousness in her eyes. Then he looked around the room.

When he found what he was looking for he got up and brought it over, "Here," He placed a pair of scissors in her hand and sat on the floor, his back facing her.

"What are you doing Yuta?"

"You wanted to know what the teacher told me to do. He told me to get my hair cut. And I can't do that with this arm; so will you?"

"I… guess but I don't know how good it'll look."

"I want you to do it Kyoichi."

And with that Kyoichi shrugged and began snipping away at his beautiful black hair.

When the school nurse had returned he took a look at Yuta's shoulder and simply stuck a sling on it and told them to return to class. By that time PE had already ended and when they got to their class room to teacher called Kyoichi to his desk and handed a slip of paper tell her to go to the office. She looked to Yuta and shrugged before walking out of the room.

When Kyoichi made it to the office she was greeted by Kyo who had just signed her out, "Let's go Kyoichi," he said.

"I don't remember have any type of appointment today."

"That's because you didn't, but you do now," Kyoichi didn't like how Kyo had said that but she waited until they were outside the school to see what was up.

Kyo continued to walk down the sidewalk until they reached Hatori's car which Kyo opened the back door to, "Get in."

"I don't need a checkup, Hatori told me I was okay the other day," Kyoichi tried to think of why Kyo would be so serious but couldn't think of what it might be.

"Just get in," was all her father said.

Kyoichi decided to stop asking questions and got in. Kyo shut the door then got in the front passenger seat, "Let's go Hatori…" Hatori adjusted his rearview mirror and looked just as uneasy as Kyo and that made Kyoichi very worried about what she had gotten into.

When the car finally stopped Kyoichi realized they had brought her back to the Main House, "Hatori open Kyoichi's door for her, "Come on."

Kyoichi cautiously followed Kyo and Hatori to one of the large meeting rooms. Kyo and Hatori stepped aside and let her in front. She looks to Kyo for answers but all he does is nod for her to open the door.

Kyoichi gulps and opens the door. Her eyes fall on Akihiko's parents: her parents.

The second she registered what was going on she tried to flee but Kyo caught her by her wrist, "No, let me go!"

"Kyoichi I can't, this is not my choice! You have to talk to them," Kyo says trying to pull her into the room."

"No," Kyoichi screams trying to get free, "I have nothing to say to them!"

"Onee-chan," Kyoichi froze at the sound of Akihiko, her brother's voice behind her.

Kyoichi looked behind her to see the boy running toward her with his arms out wide. Out of fear of transforming in front of the young boy Kyoichi does a one eighty and jumps, wedging herself between the walls so that she was out of arms reach.

The boy believed Kyoichi was trying to play a game with him and jumps, trying to reach her.

"Kyoichi, your parents have requested to speak with you," Shigure had come into the hallway and pulled Akihiko aside so that Kyoichi could get down.

"I don't know about you, but I have nothing to discuss with them," was Kyoichi's reply.

"Your meeting with them the other day has awoken their memories of you," Hatori tries to explain."

"Then why not just wipe their memories again! They didn't have a problem with it last time!"

"The problem is I would have to erase everything that had happened since the incident. They would forget the past seventeen years of their lives. They would forget about you, but they would also forget about their son as well. So I cannot use that method again. And they understand that.

"But they would like to discuss something with you."

Kyoichi stands there for a moment, "Fine…"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen… The Decision…

Kyoichi enters the room and sits in front of her birth parents; Kyo sits down beside her, "What do you want," She asks the two adults who look as though they are about to do something they will regret later.

It was her father who spoke first, "We have discussed it, and we would like you to come and live with us. We regret our decision of having our memories suppressed. Kyoichi, our son—your brother has grown fond of you even after that brief encounter the two of you had. We would like for our son to have the older sister that he has always wanted."

Kyoichi looked to her little brother who was smiling at her innocently.

Kyoichi wasn't sure of how to reply so she stood up and ran out of the room, "Kyoichi come back," Kyo gets up to follow her but is stopped by Miu, Kyoichi's real mother.

"Let her go, I think it would be better if Akihiko went to talk to her. He is the only one she doesn't hold a grudge against," Miu looks down at her son, "Go talk to Kyoichi for a while."

"Okay Mom," Akihiko gets up and runs after his sister.

Kyoichi was sitting at the base of the tree that she always used to climb and was staring up at the branches.

"You are my sister, aren't you?" Kyoichi looks down to see Akihiko standing in front of her.

Not being able to make her brother sad, Kyoichi kneels in front of him, laying a hand on his cheek, "You and I are related by birth. However, your parents didn't want me when I was born."

"Why wouldn't they want you," Akihiko asks, trying to understand.

"I'm different from most people. I change from human to animal and beast."

"But they want you now. So why not come home?"

Kyoichi smiled at her brother with sadness cloaking her eyes, "Because I love the family that I've lived with since my birth. I might get mad at them from time to time, but that's like every family.

"But I know nothing of these people that you call parents because I grew up without them in my life, and I don't know if I can live with people who gave me up because I was different.

"This scar on my face," Kyoichi brings Akihiko's hand up to her cheek to let him feel it, "Our father gave this to me only minutes after my birth; and I'm scared he might do it again.

"So I've decided. I can't come live with you." Kyoichi saw Akihiko's face drop and added, "But you can come visit me as often as you want, you alright with that?"

Akihiko's face instantly lightened up and he nods, "Okay!"

Kyoichi stood up and lead her brother back inside to where their family was waiting.

Kyoichi sat down in front of her birth parents, "I have decided, not to come live with you. But I told Akihiko that he could come visit as much as he wanted." Kyoichi looks her parents in the eyes, "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did to me, and I don't know if I ever will. But I will not take my anger out on your son because he had nothing to do with it. I will always consider Akihiko my brother, but my parents will be the ones who raised me," Kyoichi looked over and gave Kyo a small smile.

Miu looked as though she was about to object but her husband stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder, we will respect your decision." Kyoichi's father stands up, "We should have introduced ourselves at the beginning, my name in Takahiro Sohma, and this is my wife Miu, and son, Akihiko. I was nice to meet you Kyoichi."

After Kyoichi's birth family left, Yuta ran in and hugged her, "Kyoichi are you okay? They didn't say anything mean to you did they?"

"No Yuta, I'm fine," Kyoichi turned to face Kyo, "I think I'm ready to come home now…"

"I'm glad to hear it Kyoichi," He smiled and squeezed her arm affectionately, "Let's go home."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen… The Box…

 _Several weeks Later—New Year's Break…_

"Yuta," Akito called up the stairs, "Yuta could you come here for a moment?"

"Coming Mother," her son replied as he came out of his room.

"Yuta could you help me move some things out of the storage room. We need to get all the New Year's decorations out."

"Sure thing Mom," Yuta replies as he picks up the nearest box with the words _New Year's_ written on it. "Where do you want them?"

"In the main gathering room please," Akito calls from a little further into the room.

Yuta helps his mother move boxes for about an hour and returns to the storage room for another box but the further in he goes the less he looks for decoration boxes and the more he's just aimlessly searching.

Finally, Yuta finds what he had been searching for, a small black box tied closed with white string. It seemed as if the box was calling to him so he walks over and slowly picks it up, examining it.

"Yuta, I think we got all of the boxes," Akito walks over and sees the box her son is holding—instantly remembering all the pain and anguish it caused—stopping in her tracks.

"Mother, do you know what's inside this box," Yuta asks as he turns to look at her.

Akito looks at the box and fights to keep her composure before answering her son, "Oh, that box has been empty for years. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it was just… It felt like it was calling to me, or something…

"If it's empty," Yuta looks down at the box still feeling as if it wants something more, "Can I have it?"

Akito immediately opens her mouth to object but stops. Her son doesn't know the origin of the box. But would him knowing make him want it any less? "Yes Yuta, you can have it. But it's just a decorative item. Don't open it or put anything inside of it, alright?"

Yuta looks up at his mother and smiles, "Yes Ma'am! Thank you." Yuta bows as he runs out of the storage room and down the hall.

Akito pops her head out the door, "And don't forget to you work on your homework!"

"Alright Mom," He calls back over his shoulder, not truly paying attention.

When Yuta gets to his room he walks over to his desk and sets the box down as he sits in his chair. He stares at the box for another moment, almost as if in a trance.

Snapping out of it, Yuta smiles and starts working on his homework.

The next morning Tohru calls up the stairs, "Kyoichi, Kazuki, Rin, Breakfast is ready!"

Kazuki and Rin came down rather quickly but Tohru had to go shake Kyoichi awake, "I know it raining Kyoichi but you need to come eat breakfast and go to the dojo for training. Your father wants you to be there for the morning classes too."

Kyoichi rolls over onto her back and stares sleepily at her mother.

Tohru smiles down at her daughter "I cooked fish."

Kyoichi immediately gets out of bed and heads down the stairs.

Kyoichi made it to the dojo several minutes earlier than her father was expecting her, "Ah Kyoichi. You're early."

"Well you asked me to come early right?"

"Go ahead and get dressed. When you've changed I'll tell you what we're going to do."

Once Kyoichi changed she met with her father in the main training room.

"I would like you to help me coach some of the students in several of my classes. It would only be one or two students per class and only one or two classes a week. Kind of like a private tutor. Are you alright with that?"

"Sure," Kyoichi replied.

"For today you'll only be studying the students I have in mind so you can see how they do on their own. Next week I'll introduce them to you and you'll start training them for one hour of their two hour class. This way you can work with them one on one."

"Alright"

Kyoichi spent most of the morning and some of the afternoon watching her soon to be students and making mental notes on where she should start with her tutoring. After the last class Kyo walks up to her, "That was the last class you needed to be here for Kyoichi. You can go home and get cleaned up. Your brother is coming over for dinner right?"

Kyoichi makes a face at her father that tells him she has no clue what he is talking about but finally remembers, "Oh right that was today…"

Her father gives a small chuckle before pushing her off toward the dressing room, "Enjoy the rest of your evening. I'll see you back at home."

When Kyoichi got home a car drove up to the sidewalk of the house and Akihiko jumps out and immediately starts racing toward her, "Onee-chan!" Kyoichi almost jumps out of his path but instead takes a step to the side allowing him to grab onto her hand. The young boy looks up at his sister and gives her a big giddy smile.

Kyoichi gives Akihiko a small smile in return, still a little unsure how to act around her newly found brother.

Takahiro, Akihiko's father, gets out of the car and walks up to his son and would-have-been daughter. "Is Kyo home?"

Still very unsure how to act around her birth father, Kyoichi glances down at the ground, "Um, he's at his dojo at the moment, he should return pretty soon though. Tohru is here. Would you like to speak with her instead?" Kyoichi wasn't sure whether she should be calling them mother or father in front of Takahiro. She wasn't sure if she should be calling anyone father or mother in front of him.

"No, that is alright. Some other time. I already discussed it with him over the phone anyway. Miu will be back tomorrow morning to pick Akihiko up. Have a good night," Takahiro gave a small bow before returning to his car and driving off.

Kyoichi looks back down at her brother, "Ready to go inside and meet the rest of my family?"

The boy just smiles and nods as Kyoichi leads him inside the house.


End file.
